Yellowknife Municipal Enforcement Division -Wikapedia
Summery and Goals "To serve the citizens of Yellowknife by performing our duties in a prompt, fair, consistent, and competent manner to ensure that Yellowknife remains a safe, clean, enjoyable place to work, live, or visit. We are responsible TROY SNOW WAS HERE for the administration and enforcement of a number of by-laws in addition to having enforcement responsibilities pursuant to the Northwest Territories Motor Vehicles Act and All Terrain Vehicles Act. This means our responsibilities are somewhat broader than municipal by-law departments in the provinces and that our main responsibility is traffic enforcement. City Council directs the municipality through resolutions and by-laws. Many by-laws have to do with the peace, order and safety of citizens. In accordance with the Summary Convictions Procedures Act (NWT), our officers are Peace Officers. Our responsibilities are mandated by the Cities, Towns, and Villages Act of the Northwest Territories." -Manager/Sergeant of MED. The City of Yellowknife Municipal Enforcement Division (MED) is a branch of the Public Safety Department (PSD) within city of Yellowknife along with the Yellowknife Fire Department (YKFD). Some citizens refer to them as the 'Bylaw' however most of there work is 70% police related. They have been known to hold a bad reputation for the city mainly because of the amount of tickets they issue. They patrol daily in there vehicles and conduct foot patrols around the downtown core. They technically have no jurisdiction of arresting intoxicated people mainly because of the RCMP's presence within the city. However if it is seen by a municipal enforcement officer that an intoxicated person is in danger of harming themselves/freezing in the cold during winter or trying to harm others then the officer has the right to arrest the individual and place them into the back of the patrol vehicle and wait until the RCMP arrive or just drive them to the local RCMP station. They can also arrest a suspect if there is a warrant issued for small offences like not attending court or a by-law offence and etc. Equipment * Four patrol vehicles - two fully marked units, and two un-marked units with hidden emergency lights and sirens. * All of the patrol vehicles are equipped with:digital police video cameras, in car computer systems and GPS. * RADAR units capable of recording speeds in front of and behind the patrol vehicles. * Police-style uniforms and equipment, including, OC sprey, extendable baton, pair of handcuffs, LED flashlight and a portable radio but excluding firearms. * A modern communication system which allows the MED officers to be in contact with the City dispatch stations, YKFD, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). * Hand held portable RADAR and LASER speed detection equipment. * Two snowmobiles equipped with emergency lights and sirens. * Two patrol bicycles for summer use. * Dog control equipment including catch poles, cages, and air-powered tranquilizing darting equipment. Debate of powers of arrest and enforcement of the NWT Liquor Act It was brought up in a meeting with city Councillors that MED should be given powers of arrest to intoxicated people on a daily basis rather then acting on witness. However some officials believe that the MED officers are ill-trained and ill-equipped to deal with intoxicated people especially if they are violent. On September 22 2014, A 66 year old man named Garry Jaeb was pulled over by MED for a seat belt violation and he was asked for identification from the officer. But Gary asked the officer for his ID. Jaeb said he had his ID in his hand, then asked the officer again to give him some identification. He said that's when he was told he was under arrest. A witness recorded a video of what happened. ☀The video shows Gary in the driver's seat of his pickup truck and a uniformed MED officer holding him by the collar of his jacket as Gary tried to pull away back into his truck, Another officer arrived on the scene and rushed to the vehicle and the two officers drag and pulled him from his truck to the ground and pinning him down. The MED officers then called the RCMP and they showed up and arrested Gary. He said he spent three hours in a holding cell then was charged with assaulting a peace officer. After a similar altercation with another driver over the summer, the Manager of Municipal Enforcement said MED officers are not required to present identification. In a news release, RCMP stated "there are a number of enforcement agencies within the Northwest Territories other than the RCMP with the authority to arrest or detain individuals. The proper venue to dispute the authority of any detention is with the courts or through the proper chain of command with the agency involved." Here's a link to the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q04zMFKPABs Category:Browse Category:Law Enforcement Category:Powers Category:Mission Category:City Government __INDEX__